You can't Cage a Wild Sky Pirate
by Shanhime
Summary: A little bit of Drabble. Just some thoughts I imagined the main characters to have whilst on their journey. No real couplage but a little bit of implied Balthier/Vaan, Baltheir/Ashe Tiny amount though. Oneshot. SPOILERS FOR END OF GAME


_**Disclaimer:** I don't own FF12 or any dashing sky-pirates and never will._

_**Summary**: A bit of rambling really…just some thoughts on Balthier that came into my head while I playing the game for the third time._

**_Accepting Fate_**

At first, he thinks he has gone soft. He sees the street-rats eyes twinkle at the prospect of an adventure on his airship and he realises how amusing the kid could be as an apprentice. But he doesn't want to invite more complications on an already troublesome lifestyle.

The trip to Bhujerba was a freebie and Vaan, Fran and the Princess knew it. But Ashe seems to be warming to him, if only for the simple fact she needs him to exact her revenge against Vayne. She asks him to kidnap her and Balthier, although not exactly reluctant to join the group on their journey, asks for compensation so his enthusiasm doesn't show. He's more than just the means of transport whether they realise it or not. Vaan watches in curiosity as Ashe regretfully hands over her wedding ring and doesn't realise how heartbreaking it is for her. All seeing Fran notices though. Perhaps even Princesses dream of being rescued by a prince and spared from the cruelty of fate. Though Balthier himself is no prince Fran can understand Ashe's attraction to his cheeky attitude no doubt different from the doting servants she'd be accustomed to at the palace.

Ashe doesn't want to have to let go of her old prince, but you can't have everything.

\/

Balthier doesn't notice as the strahl deteriorates from his own neglect. But years of looking after her well enough tell him the boy did it. Vaan gains a slap across the ear. Funny how some traits can be passed on Fran muses as the two stare each other down, Vaan's face the spitting image of Balthier's. Although annoyed, Vaan would never dare hit Balthier back, he was rash, but not a complete idiot. Penelo arrives on the scene too late and places a hand on Vaan's shoulder. He starts and breaks the stare out. Penelo earns a whinge of not sneaking up on people. Balthier returns to the controls to relieve Fran of them for a few moments. He is sniggering. So is Fran, but for different reasons.

\/

Vaan thinks Balthier was completely ignored as a kid. Balthier glowers at him when he mentions it.

"I think we've been flying too long Vaan, there's some extra air in that head of yours." he turns to busy himself with more important things. Like his new ring.

"No, Listen." Vaan stresses, "You act so high and mighty, it's a wonder your not over compensating for a traumatic childhood." Balthier wonders how he learned these words and immediately plots to blame Basch later. After all, he's the one chuckling the loudest in the corner.

With a scowl, Balthier tries to salvage his dignity,

"Maybe so, but I WONDER how MIGHTY you'll feel if you had the TRAUMA of falling from the Strahl, this HIGH up."

Fran raises an eyebrow.

Balthier feels like hitting his head off of something. It wasn't the greatest of comebacks but he could always shoot himself later. Damned Vaan.

Vaan is silenced, trying to work out whether or not Balthier is serious. Everyone is grateful of the fifteen minute silence it buys off him.

_\/_

If the others did notice, they never mentioned it but Basch himself _does_ notice how wearying Balthier's façade is. Sometimes he did try a little hard not to be left behind no matter what he said about not caring.

"You don't always have to be so guarded, sky pirate," Basch says affectionately. They'd long since bypassed their differences. Their shoes crunch against the snowy dunes on the long trek to Mount Bur-Omisace.

"I am the leading man," is all the reply Balthier indulges him with before increasing his pace to spare himself the indignities of walking at the back. Basch shakes his head and Vaan trips over a wild onion.

\/

Stepping off the Strahl at the Pharos, Balthier takes Vaan to the side.

"If anything untoward should happen to me, I want you to take the Strahl."

"Untoward?" Vaan can't contain himself. What could happen to the cocky, egoistic, self obsessed aristocrat that was Balthier? It should have made it's way, even into Vaan's skull, that you can't ground a wild bird forever.

\/

When Balthier orders Vaan to watch over precious airship Fran tries, in vain, to ignore the crackling in his voice that he's trying so hard to hide. Ashe weeps into the microphone, temporarily forgetting herself.

"Balthier, you mustn't die!" this is what proves to Balthier that he really has strayed to long and needs to leave. Perhaps this act of bravery alone, of sneaking back on board Bahamut to rescue Vaan and Penelo's home, and the Princesses castle, shows how much he really does care. The children and Ashe don't notice the weakening of the sky pirates voice, thinking it static and feedback but Basch and the Marquis Ondore do.

_The connection breaks and Balthier knows it's time for the leading man to make his exit._

_**A/N** Sorry it's a bit short but I was just something that popped into my head. Not bad for a first time at reflection in a game, nee? Please review nn reviews make me happy._


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